Home Safety 2

Home safety 2

In our list of hazards, next comes fire.

Fire.

The risks involved are burn injuries, partial or permanent disability, and death. Fire at home causes more fatal accidents. It is essential to have the basic knowledge of fire to tackle it properly.

To have fire to be started and to maintain it, three things are required namely :-

01.   Fuel.

02.   Heat.                                                                     

03.   Oxygen.

This is known as fire triangle or combustion triangle.

                                           

To put off fire:

If we remove the fuel, then that is known as “starving”                             

If we remove the heat, then it is known as “cooling.”

If we remove oxygen, then it is known as “blanketing” or “smothering.”

Any fire has four stages: incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay. The fire extinguishers are useful only if the fire is in incipient stage. If it crosses this stage, we have to get the help of fire brigade to fight it.

In home fire can start due to: electric short circuit, gas leak, hot appliances, cigarette butts, puja oil lamps, agarbhathi, etc.

v  Keep the regulator of LPG or shut off valve of piped CNG closed when there is no cooking.

v  Dispose cigarette butts and matches responsibly.

v  Do not leave any working appliance un-attended.

v  Always use cotton apron while cooking.

v  Switch off the electric power in case of electric fire.

v  Never use water to put off electric fire.

v  In case of fire, remove the nearby fuels quickly.

v  Install appropriate type of fire extinguisher.

v  Get appliances like air conditioner, air cooler, oven, toaster, iron, etc regularly serviced.

v  Educate all the people including children and elders. Let them know what needs to be done in case of fire. Work out a plan and let everyone know it.

v  In case of high-rise buildings:

-          Constantly watch the condition of stair case and ensure that it is in working condition. Get them repaired through society if required.

-          In case of fire in the building NEVER use the lift. Use the stair case only. Lift and the lift duct are confined spaces, they might get filled with smoke which will lead to suffocation.

-          Never close the openings in balcony as they are the ways for the fire brigade to reach you from outside. There are cases where the people died because it took more time to cut open the full height grills fitted in balconies.

-          In case of fire, don’t lock yourself in a room. This may lead to smoke fill and suffocation. Move away from the smoke. There are more deaths due to suffocation than the actual fire.